car cleaning
 

what is your top tip for cleaning a car.

mine - wash the wheels before the car

4399 members so i should imagine 4399 + cars. somebody must clean their car.

Always wash the wheels last - they're invariably the most dirty and personally I wouldn't wish to be spreading really mucky (or worse still gritty!) water over my pristine bodywork so the wheels ALWAYS get done last.

4398 members don't wash their cars!:D

i agree always wash wheels first. then wash the car, that way any brake dust being flung off will be washed away and not left eating into your paint. and always use 3 buckets, two with wash solution (one for wheels one for body work) and one with clean water in to rinse your mitt/sponge in after each panel so grit isnt trapped onto your mitt/sponge. another tip is rinse with an open hose instead of a gun type attatchment. this makes the water sheet off, making it easier to dry or gives less waterspots if you dont intend to dry.

wash then first with a different bucket and sponge than the car. whats the poing in cleaning the car only to get dirty break dust coloured water on it.

you mean nothing on the end of the hose dont you. is a jet washer any good for rinseing

yeah a hose with nothing on the end. pressure washers are fine for rinsing but you will get water spots if you dont dry the car.

If you wash the wheels last how are you going to get brake dust on your paintwork? Am I missing something?

I too always wash the wheels last. I wash the roof, boonet and boot then rinse. I then do the sides and rinse. I finish off by washing the wheels then a gentle rinse. Finally, I take the gun off the hose and sheet the water over the car.

If brake dust is going to get onto the paint surface and stick, it will do so if the wheels are done first - washing won't get it off, so I don't see any benefit in using double the wash solution.

if you wash your wheels first and flick brake dust on the paint work (more so if you use a between the spoke type brush) the brake dust will be wet or encased in water, then you wash your car and it comes off. if you wash your wheel last and get dust on the bodywork, the water will dry and leave the brake dust on your paint. also, using one bucket of wash solution, the grit you have taken off the paint will be dwelling in that bucket, call me anal ( i admit i am anyway) but i dont want to be rubbing that grit all over my alloys, and not only that, the water will be pretty manky and the cleaning power of the shampoo greatly reduced. I do it as a living so i have to be pretty OTT i suppose.